A little over ten minutes later.
Behind the main curtain of the Brierda Opera House.
The space was dimly lit, corners cluttered with spare props and scenery, illuminated only by a few faint work lamps.
Across the fireproof carpeted floor, stagehands in beige jumpsuits hurried to and fro.
As the ambient hum from out front subsided, a stagehand used a short-range comm device to confirm the stage was set, then nodded to the cast.
In an instant, the orchestra struck up the overture. The music filtered through the heavy curtain as a beam of light hit the proscenium edge, illuminating the steps.
Even backstage, the sounds from the stage were crystal clear.
"Lan—Lanqi, what do we do?"
Dressed in elaborate stage attire as the male and female leads, Lanqi and Talia ignored the bustling crowd around them, frantically flipping through their scripts.
If they could help Abigail, her impression of them might soar, practically guaranteeing success whether in private negotiations or whatever followed.
Yet only now did they realize just how monumental a task they had so casually taken on.
"Just memorize whatever you can. Fortunately, we've read the original work, and this adaptation covers only one chapter of it,"
Lanqi replied through telepathy, not even looking up.
Although the performance had already begun, their cues were still a ways off.
The story was set during the Holy War era of the Protos Empire.
A bit of historical context was necessary first.
At the point in time where the Cinderella Arc took place, the Holy War had not yet erupted. The historical figure Emperor Franklin was still far from rising to power, and the modern global order had yet to take shape.
Back then, the Protos Empire maintained diplomatic ties with the Demon Realm. Because the Protos Empire was comparatively backward while the Demon Realm was extraordinarily advanced, every demon in the Protos Empire enjoyed elevated status.
The heroine of the story was a human girl, while the male lead was a demon governor dispatched to guide the planning and development of the province.
The heroine, the Ash Maiden, was originally the cherished apple of a noble Protos family's eye. Following her father's death, she was treated as a servant by her stepmother and stepsisters, subjected to every kind of petty torment.
Yet despite a harsh life, she maintained a kind and optimistic heart.
One day, the governor hosted a grand ball, inviting the local provincial nobility to discuss future development plans.
The Ash Maiden was eligible to attend, but her stepmother and stepsisters mocked her, forbade her from going, and dumped all the household chores onto her. She could only hide in a corner and weep bitter tears.
It was then that the benevolent Cat Cupid appeared.
It was the most wondrous feline in the world: with magic cards, it conjured a magnificent carriage; with doves, it created a driver and attendants; and it gifted the Ash Maiden an exquisite gown and magical shoes so she could attend the ball.
However, she had to return before the clock struck midnight, or the magic would dissipate.
At the ball, the Ash Maiden and the governor met. Initially, the demon governor assumed this breathtaking human woman was nothing more than an empty-headed beauty and meant to tease her. In the end, the clever Ash Maiden ran rings around him instead. The governor was astonished to discover that this ash-haired maiden was a brilliant, cultured talent, and before he knew it, he had fallen into deep, enchanting conversation with her.
When the midnight bell tolled, the Ash Maiden—having almost forgotten the hour—fled in a panic, inadvertently leaving behind one of her magical shoes. Stricken by loss, the governor had only that shoe to remember her by. Yet the shoe weighed a thousand jin; no ordinary woman could walk in it.
Falling ever deeper in love, the governor resolved to search the entire province for the shoe's rightful owner.
One morning, the stepmother locked the Ash Maiden in the attic, while the elder sister tried on the magical shoe and found herself entirely unable to take a step.
With the help of the Cat Cupid, the Ash Maiden appeared before the governor and slipped the magical shoe on with ease.
Thus, she was brought back to the Governor's Mansion, leading into the finale where the governor poured out his passionate confession.
The story adhered strictly to historical reality.
Because the ancient Protos Empire had adopted vast amounts of knowledge from the Demon Realm, and in the wake of its defeat many years later was governed and reconstructed by the demon race, many demonic legacies were preserved across its lands. One could still see the indelible demon architecture and style in the later imperial capital, Herrom.
The Protos people could neither forgive the demon race nor extricate themselves from its lingering influence—an eternal, tangled knot.
But that was all later history.
When the story of *Holy War Romance* began, the flames of war had not yet spread, and the demon race and the Protos people still lived on friendly terms.
Yet if a human and a demon happened to fall in love back then, what awaited them in the future was destined to be a treacherous road fraught with howling blizzards and piercing thorns...
"I know the plot, but how am I supposed to act?!"
Talia kept checking the time. Even though she possessed some of the Poet of Great Love's song and dance talents—having thoroughly absorbed the Poet's techniques—going straight from no rehearsal into a live performance left her with little hope of pulling it off on the first try.
The only good news was that to ensure the performance ran smoothly, the heroine was played by two different actors.
The brief opening segment before the transformation, featuring the soot-covered, downtrodden Ash Maiden, was played by another actress. Talia would only take over once the character transformed into the gorgeously attired Ash Princess to share scenes with the governor.
So Talia still had a final sliver of time to prepare backstage.
"These lines are impossible to remember."
Lanqi rubbed his temples in frustration.
He had read the original *Holy War Romance*, but only as a reader; no one could memorize an entire script after just one read-through.
If there was anything he could genuinely recite by heart, it was probably only that final confession from the Cinderella Arc.
"I can't remember them either!"
Talia had never felt her head so close to bursting.
And the thought of having to deliver that line—"So cute I could eat you up"—made her cheeks flush hot, her heart hammering wildly out of control.
Like two students who hadn't studied at all for finals, sitting in the exam hall with five minutes left before the papers were handed out, they frantically devoured the script, desperate to cling to every single line they could grasp!
...
Out on stage at that very moment.
Emerging past the steps, the view opened up into a breathtaking, magnificent opera hall: three tiers of gilded private boxes climbed the auditorium walls.
Thousands of gold-trimmed, dark velvet seats were arranged in immaculate rows, packed with an eager audience.
The stage music began softly, the house lights dimmed, and a spotlight swung to center stage.
Huddled beside a dilapidated stove was the Ash Maiden, dressed in a tattered maid's frock, her face etched with exhaustion and despair.
"Heavens, I am so sleepy, so hungry... yet my stepmother gives me no rest, forcing me to toil without end... Father, if your soul watches from above, why must I endure such torment?"
Choking back tears, she murmured to herself,
"If only... if only you were still here, how wonderful it would be..."
The Ash Maiden began to sing a mournful melody, recounting her tragic plight in verse.
"Withered leaves drift in the winter chill, misty eyes gaze up at the starry sky. Cruel words from my stepmother pierce my heart; Father in heaven, can you hear my cry? Sisters as spiteful as demons, tormenting and shaming without end. Smoke from the hearth stings my weeping eyes, and soot clings to my face, never to wash clean..."
A sudden knock at the door broke through the maiden's song.
She scrambled to her feet and rushed to answer it.
The governor's demon messenger strode in with head held high.
"By order of His Excellency the Governor, a grand ball shall be held at the Governor's Mansion tonight! All invitees across the province may attend, whereupon His Excellency will select his prospective bride from among the eligible young ladies."
The demon messenger proclaimed with booming resonance.
"*Sigh*, if it weren't to spite the Demon Realm back home, His Excellency wouldn't have spoken out of anger and declared he'd marry a human," he muttered in an almost imperceptible sigh once his official tone dropped.
Tossing the invitation aside, the messenger turned with a flourish and departed.
The Ash Maiden watched him go, cradling the invitation in sheer delight.
"Goddess, thank you! This is my chance to turn my life around. As long as I can see the governor, I know my learning and wit will move his heart, and I will convince him to help restore my family's name!"
Overcome with astonishment and joy, she gasped.
Right then, stepping out from the shadows at the edge of the stage, the stepmother and older sister arrived, having overheard the news. Striding forward aggressively, they snatched the invitation right out of her hands.
"Hmph, a mere ball, and you make such a fuss? Looking like a soot-stained wretch, you'd send the governor running for his life!"
The stepmother sneered in disdain.
"Exactly! Who ever heard of going to a grand ball in rags and tatters?!"
"You little stray cat, keep dreaming! Don't you dare go out and humiliate our family!"
The elder sister chimed in, and the younger sister heaped on scorn.
"Listen to me carefully: stay home tonight and finish every last scrap of housework! If you dare show your face at that ball, I'll break your legs!"
The stepmother snarled menacingly.
Having thoroughly berated the Ash Maiden, the three strutted haughtily off the stage.
The spotlight narrowed, illuminating only the maiden's solitary figure in the darkness.
"Sob..."
Her expression crumpled, tears spilling like rain.
Her voice rose in a plaintive, mournful aria.
"Countless bitter tears have flowed; ambitious dreams now turn to dust. The dying candle burns to ash tonight; the haggard face in the mirror is too pitiful to behold. A lowly wretch like me—how could I ever be worthy of meeting the governor? Though my heart brims with vain longing, alas, I possess no wings to take flight..."
As she sang, the Ash Maiden reached out toward the empty air as though grasping for hope, only for her arm to drop limply.
She collapsed onto the floor, weeping aloud in overwhelming sorrow.
As night fell, the stepmother and sisters, dressed in lavish finery, set off for the ball.
The Ash Maiden was left alone in the house, drifting into deep slumber beneath the flickering candlelight.
At this, a wave of applause rippled through the auditorium.
Everything so far had gone completely according to plan.
From the acting skill to the staging and musical delivery, it was top-tier, leaving the audience feeling that tonight's ticket had been worth every penny.
The scene was not over yet.
Dressed like a beggar, the Ash Maiden lay unconscious by the hearth, shivering and starved.
Suddenly, a dazzling white light erupted, and the Cat Immortal stepped gracefully into view. Resembling a beastman of the Black Cat tribe, he possessed a cat's head upon a humanoid body, draped in an ethereal, shifting robe and wielding a staff, enshrouded in drifting, mystic vapors.
"Weep not, child. Heaven has seen your kindness. I am the envoy of the God of Love and Will, and by my magic, I shall lend you aid."
Accompanied by enchanting celestial music, the Cat Immortal gently woke the Ash Maiden resting against the coal stove.
"An envoy of the God of Love?"
The Ash Maiden stirred as if from a dream.
"Did you hear the cry of my heart? Can I... can I truly meet the one who will save me?"
"Fret not, child. As long as you believe in wishes and dreams, all things are possible. Come, cards and carrier doves, gather round me!"
With a warm, grandfatherly smile, the Cat Immortal waved his staff, unleashing a flash of golden light.
Countless playing cards swirled before him, assembling into a magnificent carriage that resembled an opulent house of cards. A flock of black-and-white doves fluttered down around his knees, transforming into uniform-clad maidservants. The Ash Maiden was veiled completely behind thick clouds of mist, seizing the chance to slip backstage.
Next, all that was needed was for the fully attired Ash Princess to take the stage, completing a seamless handover into the following scene.
"Magic staff, heed my command!"
The Cat Immortal brandished his staff, chanting at the top of his lungs.
"Cuuute—Trans—for—maaa—tion—!"
He finished the incantation.
Light erupted.
Yet as the mist cleared, nothing happened. There was no trace of the Ash Princess on stage.
Backstage, too, was dead silent.
The Cat Immortal blinked, glancing left and right in confusion.
Quickly rallying, he swept his staff once more. Mist billowed forth again, and the music swelled to match.
"Night breezes whisper, petals softly drift; O God of Love, Thy voice gently washes over the world!"
This was a sacred dance dedicated to and imitating the God of Love.
The prayer echoed above the plaza, carrying straight to the pinnacle of the stage.
"Beneath Thy tender grace, destiny blossoms anew!"
The Cat Immortal proclaimed in a soaring voice,
"Cute, cute, transformation!"
"..."
This time, not only was the stage quiet.
The entire audience fell silent as well.
"I do a cute, cute transformation!"
Still refusing to believe it had failed, the Cat Immortal spun in a full circle on the spot, twirling his staff.
The Ash Princess still did not appear.
"Transform again!"
"Transform for me!!"
"Would you just get the hell out here?!"
...
Backstage at that moment.
Actors and stagehands bustled about in a frantic rush.
An extra passing by noticed the two leads still cramming their lines.
"Why haven't you two gone out yet?"
"One more look. Just one more look."
Talia was gripping the script so hard the pages were nearly tearing.
In theory, Talia could have gone out first while Lanqi fed her lines from the wings, but Lanqi was currently in the same sinking boat, racing against the clock to memorize his own dialogue. There was no way he could help her.
Both were beginning to regret having agreed to Abigail's request so readily.
They had heard that the professional actors spent whole nights memorizing lines and practiced for over a hundred hours to meet stage standards.
How many lines could the two of them possibly remember in just a few minutes?!
...
In a residence within the city of Nistro, Thuringia Province.
A warm glow shone through the ground-floor curtains, resembling a cozy family gathering.
Before the crystal projection screen on the living room wall.
"Ugh, why is the wind-up taking so long?"
Hyperion sat on the sofa cracking melon seeds, waiting for the next scene to begin.
"That's just how it is. They always build anticipation before the exciting parts. We should be glad they haven't cut to commercial breaks,"
Sinora explained to Hyperion.
Still, she looked forward to the male lead's entrance—the governor might turn out to be extraordinarily handsome.
Nowadays, she didn't just care about a pretty face; she also valued character and presence. Thinking carefully, Lanqi stood out uniquely in that regard, but he was so thoroughly perfect that Sinora found him almost unreal, leaving her with little in the way of romantic hope.
"Is it just me, or does the guy on stage look like he's about to have a nervous breakdown?"
Antanas pointed at the screen.
To her eyes, the Cat Immortal had cycled through every dance style imaginable; he was practically one step away from breakdancing.
"It shouldn't be a stage mishap. A public premiere often includes special gags or easter eggs as deliberate staging,"
the Ice Snow Witch remarked, her gaze largely fixed on the book in her hands. Most of the time she merely listened, looking up only on occasion.
Under its new executive director, the Brierda Opera House placed great emphasis on media outreach and educational promotion, launching various initiatives to popularize opera. Its "Global Live" project broadcast live performances in high definition to media terminals and cinemas across the globe.
The opera house also hosted lectures, workshops, and backstage tours, drawing audiences across all age groups and commanding immense social influence.
With hundreds of thousands of theatergoers attending performances each year, it had become one of Brierda's most acclaimed cultural centers. A major performance accident was virtually unthinkable.
...
Another moment slipped by.
"I transform, transform, transform, transform—!"
A voice cracking at the edge of hysteria echoed all the way from the stage to the backstage wings.
"What on earth are you two doing?!"
Abigail came storming back from the auditorium. Finding Talia still dallying there, she blew her top.
"My lady, get out there already!!"
Abigail shoved Talia, herding her forcibly toward the curtain.
"Eek! Lanqi, save me!"
Talia looked back, her feet carrying her forward against her will, her eyes practically flashing SOS signals as she sent a telepathic cry.
The moment panic set in, every single line vanished from her head.
"..."
Lanqi kept his head down, still desperately cramming. At least one of them had to know their lines.
He trusted that no matter what unfolded out there, he would find a way to patch it up.
Chapter 752